The Science of

GLUTEUS MAXIMUS
Training
By Bret Contreras, MA, CSCS

By Bret Contreras, MA, CSCS

What I’m Known For
18 Months

• 24 Months

g
Building
Booties!
6M
Months
th

12 Months
What
What II’m Known For
m Known For

My Clients
 Walking the Walk
Walking the Walk
• Identical
Identical Twin 
Twin – my 
my
own control subject

• My hips are 5”  • 5” greater hip

bi
bigger around than 
d h twin
i f
circumference
bro
th
than

his
• PhD in g
glutes

• Stronger hip
• PhD thesis extension torque
than All-Blacks
All Blacks
What Needs to Happen?
What Needs to Happen?
 High Expectations
High Expectations
• I tell the Physios to put themselves in my position
• What do my clients expect from me?
• What creates shape?
• What creates shape? 
• What are the mechanisms of hypertrophy?
• What are the mechanisms of hypertrophy? 
 Mechanisms of Hypertrophy
Mechanisms of Hypertrophy
• Mechanical Tension
Mechanical Tension
• Metabolic Stress
• Muscle Damage
l

1. Mechanical Tension
2 Metabolic
2. M t b li St
Stress
3. Muscle Damage
Roles of the Glute Max
Hip
 Extension
 External Rotation
External Rotation
 Abduction (Upper Fibers)
Pelvis
 Posterior Pelvic Tilt
Posterior Pelvic Tilt
Roles of the Glute Max
Roles of the Glute Max
Sacrum ‐ Force Closure

Spine ‐ Prevents Lumbar Flexion and 
Hyperextension, Prevents Anterior Pelvic Tilt

Hips ‐ Prevents Anterior Femoral Glide

Knees ‐ Prevents Valgus Collapse
Knees  Prevents Valgus Collapse

Muscles ‐ Prevents Hamstring and Groin Strains

Fascial Connections ‐ Serape Effect through TLF, 

Protects ACL through ITB
 Glute MVC
Glute MVC
Squeeze the Glutes as 
Hard as Possible

• Seated vs. Standing
 Hip Extension Torque/
EMG Angle Relationships

Worrell et al.
al 2001
Strength Curves
Strength Curves
Hip Torque
Hip Torque
Hip Extensor PCSA
Hip Extensor PCSA
Hip Extension Torque in 
Resistance Training
Straight Leg Hip Extension 
Exercises
Squats Deadlifts and Hip Thrusts
Squats, Deadlifts, and Hip Thrusts
Hip Extensor Moment Arms
Hip Extensor Moment Arms

Nemeth and Ohlsen 1985

 Functional Differentiation
• Muscles possess “functional differentiation” whereby 
the brain activates the muscles and motor units
the brain activates the muscles and motor units 
within the muscles that possess the best leverages, 
while others aren’t fully activated (Brown et al. 2007)
 Estimating Muscle Force and 
Hip Extension Torque
• Torque
Torque =     Force x MA
Force x MA
• Muscle Moment Arms
• Force = PCSA, Activation, 
F PCSA A ti ti
Muscle Lengths
Glute EMG during Cardio
g
* Comparing EMG across studies is tricky – need same electrode
placement and MVC positioning, etc.

Woman’s Health 2007

Glute EMG during Resistance Training
EMG during Resistance Training
* Comparing EMG across studies is tricky – need same electrode
placement and MVC positioning, etc.

ACE 2006
Analyzing the Squat, Deadlift, and Hip Thrust
Analyzing the Squat, Deadlift, and Hip Thrust
Torque Pattern and Muscle Length 
Specificity and Transfer of Training

• Squat
• R
Romanian Deadlift
i D dlift
• Back Extension
• Hip Thrust
• Sprint
 Enemies of the Glutes
Enemies of the Glutes
• Pain
• Sitting
• Compression
i
• Adaptive Shortening
• Reciprocal Inhibition
• Disuse
 Solutions
• Self Myofascial Release
Self Myofascial Release
• Static Stretching
• Dynamic Stretching
• Activation Work
• Strength!
• Use it or Lose it
Use it or Lose it
 Waterfalls Analogy
Waterfalls Analogy
• River (Brain)
• 3 Waterfalls (Erectors, Glutes, Hamstrings)
 Hip Flexor Stretches
Hip Flexor Stretches
• Add PPT to increase stretch’s effectiveness
 Glute Activation
Glute Activation
• LLow‐Load: 
L d
Quality over Quantity!
 Vertical Loadingg
• Squats
• Deadlifts
• Good Mornings
• Lunges
• Step Ups
• Bulgarian Split Squats
Bulgarian Split Squats
• Single Leg RDL’s
• Olympic Lifts
• Plyometrics
 Horizontal Loading
Horizontal Loading
• Hip Thrusts
• Barbell Glute Bridges
• Single Leg Hip Thrusts
• Back Extensions
Back Extensions
• Reverse Hypers
• Pull Throughs
Pull Throughs
• Kettlebell Swings
• Sled Pushes
• Sprints
 Lateral/Rotary Loading
• Band Hip Rotations
• Band Standing Abduction
• Band Seated Abduction
• Cable Chops
• Cable Lifts
• Half Kneeling Cable Chops
• X B d W lk
X‐Band Walks
• Pallof Presses
• Side Plank
Side Plank
• Slideboard
• y
Medball Rotary Throws
 Posterior Pelvic Tilting
Posterior Pelvic Tilting
• American Deadlift
American Deadlift
• Hip Thrust with PPT
C l k
• RKC Plank
Look Athletic
Look Athletic

•Strength
St th is
i Cool
C l
•Good form is Cool
g With Good Form is What it’s All About!
•Strong
 Hip Thrust Strength
Hip Thrust Strength
• Women Might Have Greater Relative Strength than 
Men in the Glutes, Men Have Greater Absolute 
Strength
• Hi Th S hi G h S S
Hip Thrust Strength is Greater than Squat Strengthh
• Hip Thrust Strength is Close to or Stronger than 
D dlift St
Deadlift Strength
th
• Strongest = 3.5X Bodyweight
• Male –
M l 585 pounds
585 d
• Female – 405 pounds
 Back to the Mechanisms…
Back to the Mechanisms…
• Mechanical Tension – Hip Thrust, Deadlift
• Metabolic Stress – Hip Thrust, KB Swing
• Muscle Damage – Walking Lunge, Deep Squat
• Individual Differences?
 Individuality
y
• Scientific Theory vs. The Real World
• Become Your Own EMG Instrument 
through Palpation
g p
• Ask the Client for Input!
q , , , q ,
• Racquel, Colleen, Kellie, Racquel, 
Alexis, Molly, Diana
• I Know Their Glutes Better than They y
Do!
Glute Max EMG Experiment ‐ Bret
Glute Max EMG Experiment 
• In a perfect world you could do 
this for each client
 Program Design
g g
1. Hip Thrust or Heavy KB Swing Type Movement
2
2. Squat or Lunge Type Movements
Squat or Lunge Type Movements
3. Deadlift or Back Extension Type Movements
4. Band Hip Rotation, X‐Band Walk, Seated Band 
Abduction Type Movements or RKC Plank Type
Abduction Type Movements, or RKC Plank Type 
Movements
5. Mix together unilateral and bilateral 
6
6. V th
Vary the rep ranges. Heavy singles to 50 rep 
H i l t 50
burnouts.
7. Progressive overload AND variety
8. Frequency is key. Glutes are capable of performing a 
ton of work! Five days per week for some clients.
9. Excessive soreness is counterproductive!
 We Should Have Listened
We Should Have Listened...
• Fischer and Houtz 1968
Thanks for Your Attendance!
Thanks for Your Attendance!

www.BretContreras.com